The average rush-hour commuter spends the equivalent of one full year stuck in traffic. That weighs in at a national cost of $78 billion, including both wasted time and fuel. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation statistics, every year 42,000 traffic-related fatalities and 2.7 million injuries cost the economy additional $230 billion. Furthermore, the price paid by the victims of those accidents extends well beyond any measurable number. Improving surface transportation safety, reducing wasted time and fuel costs, and protecting the environment would be beneficial.